Singapore Management University
COURSE INFORMATION
Course Code & Title Academic Year / Term Effective Start Date
CS602 - Algorithm Design and AY2025-26 January Term 25/08/2025
Implementation
Offering Unit / Department / School Course Career
SCIS MITB Graduate - IT in Business
Course Units Grading Basis
GRD - Graded
CU:
1
Course Description
This course is designed for students who wish to develop their algorithmic skills and prepare themselves for deeper
courses in artificial intelligence. It aims to train students in their algorithmic thinking, algorithm design, algorithm
implementation and the analysis of algorithms. This course covers a wide range of topics, including data structures,
searching, divide-and-conquer, dynamic programming, greedy algorithms, graph algorithms, intractable problems,
NP-completeness and approximate algorithms. Students are expected to design and implement efficient algorithms
to solve problems in assignments, which require students to reiterate and continuously improve their solutions. At
the end of the course, students should have the mindset to achieve more efficient algorithmic solutions as much as
possible for business problems. Students should also be inspired to learn more after this course by taking our
electives from Artificial Intelligence track.
Standard Learning Outcomes (for SOA only)
Course Learning Outcomes
. Explain important algorithms and their use cases.
Apply algorithms in business applications.
Analyze algorithms in terms of time efficiency and space efficiency.
. Evaluate algorithms based on their applicability and efficiency.
Create algorithms in some new or unique business applications.
SMU Graduate Learning Outcomes
Critical thinking & problem solving, Disciplinary knowledge, Interdisciplinary knowledge, Resilience, Self-directed
learning
Discipline Specific Competencies
Critical Thinking, Process Improvement and Optimisation, Data Analytics and Computational Modelling,
Programming and Coding, Digital Solutioning Skills
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Course Area(s)
AREA - EngD Technical Application, AREA - MITB AI Track Core, RQCC - ISSS622/IS628, AREA - MITB Artificial
Intelligence
Simple Requisites
ISSS622/IS628 - Co-req
Type
Corequisite
Complete ANY of the following Courses:
ISSS622 - Python Programming and Data Analysis (Inactive)
IS628 - Computational Thinking with Python
CLASS SECTION INFORMATION
Instructor(s) Course Instructor(s)
DAI BING TIAN - (btdai@[Link]) Dai Bing Tian
Lau Hoong Chuin
Instruction Mode Consultations and Teaching Office Location
In Person Assistants
Assessment Components (New)
Category Description Weightage
Class Participation Class Attendance 5
Assessment Period (for Proctored Assessments)
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Category Description Weightage
Class Participation Class Participation 5
Assessment Period (for Proctored Assessments)
Category Description Weightage
Class Participation Discussion Forum Participation 5
Assessment Period (for Proctored Assessments)
Category Description Weightage
Final Examination Final Exam 40
Assessment Period (for Proctored Assessments)
Category Description Weightage
Projects/Assignments Individual Assignment x 3 45
Assessment Period (for Proctored Assessments)
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Instructional Methods and Expectations
Class Attendance (5%)
Students are required to mark their own attendance on eLearn or the physical
attendance sheet when they are present in class. Attendance of each class
contributes 0.5% to the final grade. A student will be marked absent if he or she does not have a valid reason for
missing a class. Examples of valid reasons include medical, compassionate reasons and national service, supported by
documentary proof. Business and personal travels are NOT valid excuses.
Class Participation (5%)
Students are encouraged to ask thoughtful and concise questions in class, and
actively participate in discussions. Class participation marks can be awarded after
every class session, or at the end of the term, based on students’ class participation records and instructors’
benchmarking within the section.
Discussion Forum Participation (5%)
The Piazza platform ([Link]) is used as the official discussion forum for this course. Raw marks (typically ranging
from 1 to 3) are awarded to students for their participation in each discussion thread, in consideration of the quality
of their inputs
and contributions. The final mark for this component will be based on the ratio of
the logarithm of the sum of the raw marks normalized by the logarithm of the maximum sum of raw marks of the class.
Individual Assignment (45%)
There are 3 assignments, with a total of 9 questions. Most of the questions are programming questions with expected
output, limited runtime and limited memory.
Students should submit their assignment solutions to an online judge server, with typically 8 to 10 test cases. If the
correct answer of a test case is obtained within
the specified time limit and memory limit, one tenth of the total marks of the question will be awarded.
Final Exam (40%)
The duration of the final exam is 2 hours, and the exam consists of 4 to 5 questions. Each question may consist of
multiple sub-questions. The final exam is not a test of programming skills, but rather an assessment of the design,
analysis and justification of algorithms.
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Weekly Lesson Plan
Weekly plan
Recommended Textbooks and Readings
Main Reading:
Introduction to Algorithms
by Thomas Cormen, Charles Leiserson, Ronald Rivest, Clifford Stein
Optional Reading:
The Algorithm Design Manual
by Steven Skiena
Algorithms Illuminated
by Tim Roughgarden
Tools: Python
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Other Information
Resources
Main Reading:
Introduction to Algorithms
by Thomas Cormen, Charles Leiserson, Ronald Rivest, Clifford Stein
Optional Reading:
The Algorithm Design Manual
by Steven Skiena
Algorithms Illuminated
by Tim Roughgarden
Tools: Python
UNIVERSITY POLICIES
Academic Integrity
All acts of academic dishonesty (including, but not limited to, plagiarism, cheating, fabrication, facilitation of acts of
academic dishonesty by others, unauthorized possession of exam questions, or tampering with the academic work of
other students) are serious offences.
All work (whether oral or written) submitted for purposes of assessment must be the student’s own work. Penalties
for violation of the policy range from zero marks for the component assessment to expulsion, depending on the
nature of the offence.
When in doubt, students should consult the instructors of the course. Details on the SMU Code of Academic Integrity
may be accessed at [Link]
Responsible Use of AI
The University recognises the importance of equipping students with the skills to navigate an AI-driven world. While
AI tools may support learning, they must be used judiciously and responsibly. Students must not present AI-
generated output as their own work.
Each course may set specific guidelines on the use of AI in assessments. Students are required to follow these
guidelines carefully and should seek clarification from the instructors if uncertain.
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Misuse of AI constitutes a breach of academic integrity and will be subject to the same penalties as other acts of
academic dishonesty.
Copyright Notice
Please note that all course materials are meant for personal use only, namely for the purposes of teaching, studying
and research. You are strictly not permitted to make copies of or print additional copies or distribute such copies of
the course materials or any parts thereof, for commercial gain or exchange.
For the full copyright notice, please visit [Link]
Accessibility
SMU strives to make learning experiences accessible for all. Students who anticipate or experience physical or
academic barriers due to disability are encouraged to inform the course instructor as soon as possible. Students may
also contact the university's disability services team if they have questions or concerns about academic provisions:
accessibility@[Link]. Please be aware that the accessible tables in our seminar room should remain available for
students who require them.
Digital Readiness for Teaching and Learning (DRTL)
As part of emergency preparedness, instructors may conduct lessons online via the Zoom platform during the term,
to prepare students for online learning. During an actual emergency, students will be notified to access the Zoom
platform for their online lessons. The class schedule will mirror the current face-to-face class timetable unless
otherwise stated.